Fall 2016 New Paltz Magazine by SUNY New Paltz

NEW PALTZ The Alumni Magazine of the State University of New York at New Paltz

CHIEF BUSINESS OFFICER ROBERT KYNCL â&#x20AC;&#x2122;95 LEADING THE VIDEO REVOLUTION

Fall 2016

NATIONAL CHAMPS!!

HAPPENINGS

SUNY New Paltz celebrates winning the NCAA Division III men's volleyball championship. New Paltz defeated Springﬁeld College, 3-1, taking home the ﬁrst national championship in the College's history. Watch all the excitement from the championship match at www.ncaa.com/video

S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y O F N E W Y O R K

New Paltz Magazine Volume 34, No. 2, Fall 2016

"My work with the

President Donald P. Christian

Chief of Staff/Vice President for Communication and Executive Editor Shelly A. Wright Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations Erica Marks Director of Alumni Relations Shana Circe ’02 ’08g

United Nations allows

Editor Chrissie Williams

me to make a difference;

it is why I do what I do."

Designer Jeff Lesperance

—Jessica Faieta ’85 (Economics), p.18

Contributing Writers Andrew Bruso ’08 ’12g Lindsay Lennon ’07 Contributing Photographers Jenna Burger ’19 Jeff Lesperance John Oles Cara Robbins Robin Weinstein ’14 Noah Willman

4 SCIENCE AND ART: UNLOCKING CHILDREN'S POTENTIAL THROUGH INTEGRATED CURRICULA Alumnus embraces STEAM for his students 10 WHERE TRADITIONAL MEDIA AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGY COLLIDE YouTube's Robert Kyncl ’95 (International Relations) steers consumer-driven web content 16 VIEWPOINT: MAXIMUM-SECURITY Alumni share unique experiences

D E PA R T M E N T S

Video related to story

Additional feature

18 Alumni Profiles | 24 Seen & Heard | 28 Class Notes 28 Events Calendar | 35 Scholarship News | 38 In Memoriam 41 Planned Giving

Cover: YouTube’s Chief Business Officer Robert Kyncl ’95 (International Relations) sits for a portrait at YouTube headquarters in Los Angeles, Calif. Photo by Cara Robbins Corrections: Bruce Orenstein ’68 (Secondary Education) is Vice President – Wealth Management for UBS Financial Services Inc. in Paramus, N.J. This information was incorrect on p. 16 of the spring 2016 edition of New Paltz Magazine. Dr. Gerald Robbins ’78 (Chemistry) received his M.D. from the Medical College of Virginia at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va. This information was incorrect on p. 22 of the spring 2016 edition of New Paltz Magazine.

New Paltz Magazine, the alumni magazine of the State University of New York at New Paltz, is published semi-annually by the Office of Communication & Marketing and the Office of Development & Alumni Relations for alumni, faculty, parents, staff and friends of the College. Its purpose is to keep this extended New Paltz community informed of and engaged with news and activities relating to the College. Diverse views appear in these pages and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editor or the official policies of the College. In keeping with the College’s sustainability efforts, this publication was printed on Opus Dull, a 30% postconsumer waste paper. Content Ideas/Letters/Feedback: Office of Communication & Marketing State University of New York at New Paltz 1 Hawk Drive New Paltz, NY 12561-2443 845.257.3245 www.newpaltz.edu/magazine magazine@newpaltz.edu Address Changes & Class Notes: Office of Development & Alumni Relations State University of New York at New Paltz 1 Hawk Drive New Paltz, NY 12561-2443 1.877.HAWK.001 (option #1) 845.257.3230 www.newpaltz.edu/alumni alumni@newpaltz.edu

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First Look: Wooster Hall

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The 1960s “brutalist” architecture of this building did not feel conducive to supporting human needs. The renovated building is beautiful, bright and lively. Over time, I think it will have the same transformative impact on our campus as the Atrium and the renovated Sojourner Truth Library. — President Donald P. Christian, State of the College Address, August 26, 2016

From the Editor's Desk

his issue of New Paltz Magazine features exemplary alumni who self-identify as global citizens and have transformed the lives of others.

Our cover story illustrates the far-reaching power of a New Paltz degree by highlighting the modern, international world in which we live. Our alumnus spearheads YouTubeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brand image and experience where information is shared by billions of users on a technological platform unimagined two decades ago. Among its endless video archives, viewers can find shaky, firsthand accounts of the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti. The official Haitian government death toll reached more than 300,000, and hundreds of thousands of survivors were displaced. Look to page 18 to discover how one determined alumna traveled there to help pick up the pieces. We can read in her story, (and in the numerous profiles of alumni who make giving back their lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work), that in each notable endeavor,

a piece of New Paltz has assisted in making a difference. Unearthing themes of resilience, philanthropy and global activism was the organic result of researching our alumni, seeking their stories and, in turn, telling our readers the true impact of their accomplishments. SUNY New Paltz fosters the kind of global citizenship read about in these pages. It provides students with the opportunity to immerse themselves in extensive international affairs through programs and educational prospects that help build a worldwide culture of compassion and understanding. Our goal is for students to gain the knowledge, skills and confidence to contribute to important dialogues as productive members of a truly global society. Because as these alumni stories disclose, when the world is viewed through an inclusive lens, the influence on the work and lives of tomorrow is boundless. Sincerely, Chrissie Williams, editor Shana Circe, director of alumni relations Fall 2016

FEATURE STORY

SCIENCE Unlocking children's potential through integrated curricula

New Paltz

AS SCHOOL DISTRICTS CONTINUE TO CONSOLIDATE AND COLLABORATE, TEACHERS WITH ADAPTABLE AND COMPLEMENTARY SKILLS IN SCIENCE AND ART BECOME A MUCH-NEEDED RESOURCE. FOR SUNY NEW PALTZ ALUMNUS STEPHEN PROTOSS ’12 (VISUAL ARTS EDUCATION), THIS MEANS REACHING MORE STUDENTS THAN EVER BEFORE.

Caption: Stephen Protoss ’12 (Visual Arts Education), stands for a portrait in his classroom at Kerhonkson Elementary School in Kerhonkson, N.Y. Photo by Robin Weinstein ’14

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"When Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m in my classroom, everything else goes away and the genius things that the students come up with really provide a sense of promise for our future."

New Paltz

N THE ART CLASSROOM, I TRY TO INTEGRATE OTHER SUBJECT AREAS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE,” SAID PROTOSS, A K-3 ART

EDUCATOR IN THE HUDSON VALLEY’S RONDOUT VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT. “I TAKE WHAT REALLY INSPIRES ME IN MY STUDIO PRACTICE – MATH, TECHNOLOGY AND 3D DESIGN – AND BRING IT TO MY CLASSROOM.”

"I want to give students new experiences and change the day-to-day avenues of approach for their learning."

Protoss demonstrates how in the pursuit of meaningful and cost-effective strategies, teachers are still capable of delivering a high-quality and forward-thinking education. The alumnus has the good fortune of working for a district that shares his enthusiasm for interdisciplinary innovation. To provide students with state-of-the-art equipment for courses in the STEAM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics), the Rondout Valley School District purchased 10 new 3D printers in 2014 with a grant secured by Sen. John Bonacic, R-Mount Hope. For Protoss, the new technology exemplifies a welcome collaboration between science and art. As a member of the district’s technology team, he has played an integral role in understanding and operating the new technology, finding new and powerful ways to implement it in the classroom. “When you look at where 3D printing has been successful, it’s been because teachers applied the technology along with art and design to get the most out of it,” said Protoss. “I was eager to add this technology to my curriculum and it became clear that one of our students could benefit, personally, from this new technology.” Inspired by a “robohand” project built at SUNY New Paltz in 2014, Protoss and some of his colleagues used one of the district's 3D printers to build secondgrader Aidan Davidson a new right hand.

There is a large collection of Makerbots available to SUNY New Paltz students and the wider community through the School of Science & Engineering, the School of Fine & Performing Arts, and the Hudson Valley Advanced Manufacturing Center (HVAMC), which is located on the SUNY New Paltz campus. www.newpaltz.edu/hvamc

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Protoss feels that as 3D technology is further integrated into art education in Hudson Valley schools, local college students will also benefit from exploring the combination of disciplines. p Stephen Protoss â&#x20AC;&#x2122;12 (Art Education) works with kindergarten students in the science lab at the Kerhonkson Elementary School.

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“We made it red, which is Aidan’s favorite color,” said Protoss. “And the fingertips were made out of plastic that glows-in-the-dark.” Normally, a similar prosthesis would cost thousands of dollars, but the group obtained open-source printing plans from E-Nable Group and purchased materials totaling less than $50. While the creation of the prosthetic hand is a notable example of the potential of 3D printing technology, Protoss has found a number of more subtle ways it can complement traditional art activities in the classroom and draw out students’ creativity. In hopes of sharing these practices with colleagues, Protoss has contributed to the development of the new Science Lab and Museum at Rondout Valley School District. Available for children in kindergarten through sixth grade, the laboratory allows teachers to plan field trips that give their students direct access to evolving technologies. “I want to give students new experiences and change the day-to-day avenues of approach for their learning,” said Protoss. “There’s current national legislation that is reevaluating art as a core subject and I want our district to be ahead of that curve.”

he School of Education at SUNY New Paltz is powering up to meet this new teaching climate. The new Center for

Innovation in Education at New Paltz (CIE@NP), directed by alumna and professor Karen Bell ’91g (Mathematics), debuted in fall 2015. Its mission is to use innovative new technologies to expand clinically rich preparation of teachers and leaders like Protoss, and implement new educational models in classrooms spanning the Hudson Valley, New York City and Long Island. The CIE@NP supports these goals through the use of 21st century instructional technologies that inspire inquiry-based teaching and learning, including state-ofthe-art classroom simulation systems and 3D printing and digital design.

The College houses the CIE@NP, the MidHudson Teachers' Center (MHTC) and the New York State Master Teacher Program to bring 3D design to a younger, wider audience. College faculty and staff regularly provide training in computer-aided drafting (CAD) software and 3D printer maintenance to area teachers. The MHTC and the CIE@NP have also designed a 3D printer-lending program for local teachers to support projects in their classrooms. “Programs like this really give future teachers a leg up,” said Protoss. “Schools with 3D printers are seeking support in the implementation of new projects. We benefit from these programs greatly, particularly through curriculum development.” The challenge of integrating new technologies and training qualified educators to use them can be daunting, especially in an era when policy makers often regard public education as a potential area of savings. School district consolidation has become more common, as teachers, parents and taxpayers look for the best way to achieve the desired scale. This sometimes leaves teachers feeling ill equipped to prepare students for future success. As an early adopter of modern equipment and practices, Protoss understands that to unleash its full potential, 3D technology must be operated by competent teachers who have the time and energy to address their students' questions. He works hard every day to serve that function for the nearly 600 students who enter his classrooms. “It’s not always easy to cater to so many students, and I think it sometimes makes educators wonder if we’re having the impact we set out to,” said Protoss. “But when I’m in my classroom, everything else goes away and the genius things that the students come up with really provide a sense of promise for our future. It’s this promise that motivates me. Luckily, I get to see it every day.”

What are your thoughts on STEAM, 3D printing, or the combination of disciplines?

Email us at magazine@newpaltz.edu

Fall 2016

FEATURE STORY

YouTube 's Chief Business OfďŹ cer Robert Kyncl '95 (International Relations)

New Paltz

Where traditional

media and emerging technology

collide collide collide Fall 2016

Television has

changed changed changed more in the last 10 years than in the previous 50, with businesses like YouTube and Netflix reimagining the traditional viewing experience. Billions of people are now empowered to discover, watch and share user-generated videos within a network that allows them to connect, inform and inspire others worldwide. Chief Business Officer at YouTube, Robert Kyncl ’95 (International Relations), has made a name for himself at this intersection where traditional media surrenders to emerging technology and growth. "This work has a special meaning for me that goes beyond entertainment,” said Kyncl. “We did not have access to information in my life growing up behind the Iron Curtain, but now I work for a company that provides access across the world.” Kyncl grew up in communist-controlled Czechoslovakia before immigrating to the U.S. to study at SUNY New Paltz. His

New Paltz

experiences under that restrictive regime have guided him in his work as a key figure in the globalization of online media production and consumption. Both in his current position at YouTube and in his previous role as vice president of content at Netflix, Kyncl has demonstrated an intuition for operating on the front lines of this expanding media landscape.

“Immediacy and creativity are the driving forces now,” said Kyncl.

“In many ways web video is superior to television. It’s searchable, sharable and interactive, which TV is not. Certain innovations have surpassed the previous delivery system.”

In Kyncl’s view, traditional, pre-Internet media was built in a world where content creators were inherently disconnected from viewers. A small number of traditional

media conglomerates and a handful of very influential people determined what most others read, listened to and watched. The dawn of the Internet and related technologies opened up content creation to the masses, causing a substantial disruption to the previous structure. Today, many of the most viewed videos on YouTube are created not by multinational corporations, but by everyday people capable of amassing audiences and promoting consumer engagement. “Suddenly we’re saying that everything is changing, that what you have built no longer applies,” said Kyncl. “This creates a lot of new challenges for television companies, because now people are expressing themselves in writing, music and video, without needing to ask anybody for permission to distribute it. YouTube is the platform for this change.” YouTube has more than one billion users—almost one-third of all people on the Internet —and millions of hours of video that generate billions of views. Overall, YouTube reaches more members of the key 18-49 demographic than any cable network in the United States.

“We’ve really revolutionized how consumers experience video,” said

Kyncl. “Meeting the needs of young audiences is crucial to our growth, and really exemplary of consumer interests, lifestyles and mobile sharing activities. We are a global company, and we’re seeing this impact all over the world.” Eighty percent of YouTube’s views come from people living outside the U.S. and the company has wisely responded to this trend by launching local versions of its platform in more than 88 countries. Users can navigate the site in 76 different languages, which covers 95 percent of the Internet population. You could ask Kyncl what’s next for YouTube, but the answer might simply be, what isn’t? As the company sees growth in nearly every theoretical corner of the web—from live streaming in 360 degrees to virtual reality viewing technologies— the opportunities seem limitless. This is a welcome

CURRENTLY HAS OVER A

BILLION

USERS, ALMOST ONE-THIRD

OF ALL THE

P EOP LE ON THE INTERNET

8 0 % ARE FROM

OF VIEWS ARE

O UTS I D E

THE UNITED

S TAT E S YOU CAN NAVI GATE

soixante-seize!

setenta y seis!

IN A TOTAL

OF DIFFERENT LANGUAGES

THE NUMBER OF HOURS PEOPLE

SPENT WATCHING

VI DEOS ON MOBILE IS UP

100% Source: https://www.youtube.com/yt/press/statistics.html

Fall 2016

“People should not be persecuted for what they watch and what they upload.” situation for Kyncl, who prefers to be the first in line, not last. “It’s better to work for a tailwind company than a headwind company,” said Kyncl. “And in order to know what’s tailwind you need to know what way the wind is blowing. Tailwinds cover up a lot of mistakes, which gives you the opportunity to try a lot of new things. If you have headwind, you might be afraid to try new things and appear less innovative and less fun. We’re trying to tell everyone where the wind is.”

For Kyncl, the breadth of YouTube’s current reach and future capabilities is something to be proud of, but it also means

that no one platform can meet the needs of every audience without a bit of fine-tuning.

This is particularly true at the intersection of media and politics. The billions of videos entering the online collective consciousness via YouTube, and the exposure to new cultures and ideas they introduce, are not equally welcome in all nations. Kyncl and YouTube

are facing challenges in the form of censorship and intellectual property concerns that have the potential to disrupt both business and policy. Kyncl sees this as yet another opportunity for growth and experimentation; a chance for us all to play a part in reevaluating societal expectations and ultimately paving the way to change. “Here in the States, we’re afforded an openness not seen in many places around the world,” he said. “At YouTube we stand by our position that people should not be persecuted for what they watch and what they upload, but regulations are highly variable from country to country. This makes my work a challenge, but also very rewarding. For me, it’s a battle that’s worth fighting.” How much time do you spend on YouTube? What do you watch? What do you predict will be the next advance in technology?

Email us at magazine@newpaltz.edu

p Robert Kyncl ’95 (International Relations) speaks with students and faculty following the spring 2016 SUNY New Paltz Distinguished Speaker event held on-campus in Lecture Center 100.

New Paltz

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN LUZ AVILA-KYNCL '96 STAYS CONNECTED WITH THE COLLEGE

or both Luz Avila-Kyncl ’96 (Psychology), and her husband Robert Kyncl ’95 (International Relations), SUNY New Paltz offered a new home in a new country. Kyncl immigrated to the United States from Czechoslovakia and Avila-Kyncl from the Dominican Republic. From there, they would find success in Los Angeles, Calif., where they now live with their two daughters. “This is where it all began, for both of us,” said AvilaKyncl. “It makes sense to keep in touch.” The Kyncls have taken advantage of opportunities to stay connected with the College. They hosted an alumni event in their Los Angeles home in October 2015, and returned to campus in 2016 to speak with students and faculty. In April, Kyncl, who later received a Master of Business Administration degree from Pepperdine University, addressed the campus community as spring 2016 SUNY New Paltz Distinguished Speaker, and Avila-Kyncl, a nutritionist and alumna of the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), spoke at the Bi-Annual EOP Conference on the theme of “Strong Foundation, Strong Future.” The conference focused on providing valuable educational opportunities and connecting student and alumni members of the EOP family. As Founder and CEO at Salud Con Luz, Avila-Kyncl used the opportunity to address how particular nutrition and lifestyle choices lead to a better life, a message she addresses daily as a nutrition coach and wellness counselor with experience in family nutrition, weight management and stress relief. “New Paltz gave me the knowledge and the skills to fulfill these dreams and make a difference in people’s lives,” said Avila-Kyncl who earned her master’s degree in social welfare from UCLA. “It was the foundation of everything and really opened the door for my current career. I want to see current EOP students understand the power of their degree.”

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Alumni Viewpoint

What's it like to...

teach in a maximum-security prison

by Joseph DiPietro '08 (Psychologyâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;Psychobiology)

here are certain experiences in life that change the way you see the world, that challenge assumptions you never even knew you had. For me one of those experiences started on a snowy winter evening in the small town of Auburn, N.Y. It was the first time I stepped behind the walls of a maximum-security prison.

As a graduate student studying neuroscience, I first heard about the Cornell Prison Education Program, or CPEP, from a colleague in the lab. He explained that it is a privately funded education program taught by instructors from Cornell, and that it provides inmates at Auburn Correctional Facility, a maximum security prison in upstate New York, the opportunity to enroll in college-level courses and earn an associates degree. This sparked my interest, and so the following semester I submitted my course proposal to teach an introductory neuroscience course, the first of its kind in CPEP’s 10-year history. I admit that when I first began preparing my lectures, I assumed I would have to teach a very refined version of a neuroscience class. After all, unlike my undergraduate students at Cornell, many of my CPEP students would have little or no background in biology, let alone neuroscience. It turned out that this assumption (which felt more like an obvious reality at the time) was completely false. In fact, their ability to grasp the material in many cases matched the average college student. What differed was their approach.

For the typical college student, university life is more than lectures and assignments. College is a time where young people discover themselves emotionally as well as academically. It is a time to grow, as much as it is a means to a degree and a career. For my students in prison, there were no extracurricular activities, and as sad as it is to admit, for some of them there is little hope for a future outside prison walls. College classes provide an escape from the mostly dull routine of prison life. When it was finally time to attend class, all those pent-up thoughts and feelings about the class material burst out of them in the form of brilliant class discussions, less focused on facts and figures, and more on how what they learned meant in the context of their own experiences, and life itself. I can’t speak for every person in prison, only the handful I met while teaching this course. As I got to know them, it was clear to me that they are people, human beings with feelings and desires, hopes and dreams, many as thoughtful and intelligent as any person living a free and productive life. My students learned neuroscience. I gained a sense of humanity for society’s most forgotten.

Joseph DiPietro '08 (Psychology-Psychobiology) is a doctoral candidate at the Fetcho Lab in the Department of Neurobiology and Behavior at Cornell University. He was a Teaching Assistant for the Introduction to Neuroscience class at Cornell (Department of Neurobiology and Behavior), where he is an instructor of neuroscience for the Cornell Prison Education Program at Auburn Correctional Facility. DiPietro co-wrote “Teaching Neuroscience in Prison” along with Sam Doernberg, a first-year pre-doctoral fellow in the Department of Bioethics at Cornell University. The narrative was featured in The Atlantic in April 2016. This piece was written by DiPietro for New Paltz Magazine.

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ALUMNI PROFILE

Making Change

Twelve Countries. One home in Ecuador. a Place at New Paltz.

uba was relegated to international pariah status in the 1980s. Control of the Panama Canal was returned to its people by treaty in 1999. Argentina endured the worst social and economic crisis in its history in 2001. And in 2010, a massive earthquake in Haiti left an estimated three million people affected. United Nations Assistant SecretaryGeneral Jessica Faieta ’85 (Economics/ Business Administration) was there for it all. “Every time I have moved to a new country, I have been very lucky to live part of its history,” said Faieta. “My work with the United Nations allows me to make a

“New Paltz helps connect me to something that was part of my life back home. I have a lot of memories from all those years ago; they were very important days of my life.”

difference. It is why I do what I do.” During her 25-year career, Faieta has lived in 12 countries, witnessing extreme poverty and war on one hand, and profound growth and the power of humanitarian influence on the other. Faieta has served with the United Nations (U.N.) in various roles throughout Central and South America. She is currently regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean. Faieta holds a master’s degree in international affairs and another in business

New Paltz

administration, both from Columbia University. She is a Yale University World Fellow. Faieta helps to reduce poverty and promote environmental conservation and the advancement of women around the world. She acknowledges her recent experience in Haiti with changing her outlook on life. As the senior country director leading the U.N. Development Programme’s recovery and reconstruction efforts after the January 2010 earthquake, Faieta witnessed the harrowing magnitude of property damage and loss of life first-hand. “It was a sobering experience, but rewarding,” said Faieta. “It allowed me to see how bringing people together can make a difference, even when a country is totally devastated. I am extremely proud of that time and all we were able to accomplish.” The origins of her work in international relations can be traced to her choice to leave Ecuador to study at SUNY New Paltz. “I am fortunate to have been born into a family that had an international outlook and encouraged me to study abroad,” said Faieta. “When I came to New Paltz, it was my first time living outside of Ecuador. It was an eye-opening experience that combined my education and my convictions.” Now in the later stages of her career, Faieta is looking to reconnect with her roots. She has kept in contact with family and close childhood friends in Ecuador, and recently returned to New Paltz to revisit the place that helped launch her career. “I often miss being a part of my own country,” she said during a spring 2016 visit to the College. “This is part of the reason that I have come back to the United States. New Paltz helps connect me to something that was part of my life back home. I have a lot of memories from all those years ago; they were very important days of my life.”

p Jessica Faieta â&#x20AC;&#x2122;85 (Economics/Business) was the keynote speaker of the 2nd Women's Leadership Summit held on campus in April 2016.

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ALUMNI PROFILE

Alumnus practices dentistry

abroad

for the greater good

New Paltz

Turks and Caicos (U.K.)

entist and Air Force Reservist Major Stanley Michel ’02 (Biology) has embraced a life of service. “I have always believed in helping those less fortunate,” said Dr. Michel, who recently traveled to Haiti to provide much-needed dental care to underserved citizens. Dr. Michel worked with three other dentists on this humanitarian mission where they treated more than 500 people in five working days. “The days were long and hot,” said Dr. Michel. “Residents of this remote part of the island have no access to electricity or running water so we work from sun up to sun down, but we leave with a true sense of accomplishment.” A Haitian-American whose parents emigrated in 1978, Dr. Michel’s family ties to the region and his altruistic nature have kept him involved with the mission for the last three years.

"I have always believed in helping those less fortunate."

The skills performed during the trip are common practice in a deployed or field environment, which is nothing new to Dr. Michel, who serves as Chief of Dental Services at the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station. Dr. Michel was awarded the degree of Doctor of Dental Medicine from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in Boston, Mass., where he received a Health Professional Scholarship from the U.S. Air Force. After graduating, he served as Dental Officer at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, for three years before he left active duty for the Air Force Reserves in 2009. Dr. Michel recently sold his practice in Buffalo, N.Y., to enter the Endodontic Program at New York University Lutheran Medical Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he is chief endodontic resident. “My experience and education, coupled with my personal ties to Haiti, make this a trip worth taking time and time again,” said Dr. Michel. “I can share my expertise with other dentists and rely on my military training at the same time.”

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ALUMNI PROFILE

New Paltz

Changing lives through sports

f Michael Vaughan-Cherubin ’04 (International Relations) could tell his younger self that one day he’d turn his passion for sports into a satisfying career, he wouldn’t have believed it. “I never dreamed that sports would be such a large part of my career or that I could make a difference in the lives of children around the world,” said Vaughan-Cherubin, program manager for the U.S. Soccer Foundation and managing and founding partner for Global Game Changers. In 2000, Vaughan-Cherubin was recruited to play soccer at New Paltz. He later made the varsity basketball team and joined the rugby team his senior year. While sports played a major role in his New Paltz career, he remained focused on finding professional gratification through the international relations program. He eventually landed a life-changing role with PeacePlayers International, whose mission is to unite, educate and inspire young people in divided communities through basketball.

To learn more about the U.S. Soccer Foundation, and to view a short video about the organization, go to http://ussoccerfoundation.org/about/

"When children are engaged they open up their eyes to new possibilities."

“PeacePlayers brought everything I had been working on together,” he said. “I spent nearly four years in the West Bank and Israel working with the program and I saw how powerful sports can be even in areas of serious conflict. It really brings everyone together on an even playing ground, regardless of individual backgrounds. Israelis and Palestinians came for the basketball and often left as friends.” Vaughan-Cherubin’s experience was an ideal extension of his New Paltz education. He pursued graduate work in international studies at American University and currently works with the U.S. Soccer Foundation in Washington, D.C. Committed to helping young people embrace an active and healthy lifestyle, the U.S. Soccer Foundation uses sports to nurture critical life skills that foster structured physical activity, nutritional education and mentorship to help kids excel. “Children in underserved communities face distinct challenges, from a lack of access to healthy foods to a shortage of safe places to play sports and consistent mentors,” said Vaughan-Cherubin. “Our collaborations with coaches, parents, and community volunteers help to improve the well-being of this population and in turn transform our communities.” Though his day-to-day tasks of training the national training staff often keep him off the field, VaughanCherubin continues to stay connected by coaching young athletes in his own community of Washington, D.C. He feels it’s important for his success, and that of the program, to always remain involved with the children who need it most. “Whether it’s figuring out a tough math problem, or scoring a rewarding goal, when children are engaged in their own success they open their eyes to new possibilities," he said. “That’s what we do here: we show them what they’re capable of in sports, and in life.” Photo by Noah Willman

Fall 2016

Seen&Heard New Black Studies professors appointed SUNY New Paltz is proud to have one of the first Black Studies Departments in the country, started in 1969, and is committed to sustaining this important program following an unprecedented number of nearly simultaneous faculty departures through retirement, resignation or reassignment. To that end, the College appointed two new full-time, tenure-track faculty, Cruz Bueno and Nicole Carr, and a visiting lecturer, Bula S. Wayessa, in the Department of Black Studies after a national search last spring.

Cruz Bueno

Bueno previously taught at Wesleyan University, Central Connecticut State University and most recently at Siena College, where she served as assistant professor of economics. She holds a Ph. D. in economics from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and previously served as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Black Studies at the College. Carr formerly taught courses in Africana Studies and African-American Literature at the University of Miami. From 2009-2014, she served as a composition instructor at Barry University, in Miami Shores, Fla. She earned her Ph.D. in English at the University of Miami.

Nicole Carr

Wayessa, who earned his Ph.D. in archaeology from the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada, has been hired as a oneyear visiting lecturer of black studies. His past professional positions include serving as a sessional instructor of anthropology Bula S. Wayessa and archaeology at the University of Calgary; a lecturer of history and heritage at Jimma University; and a sessional instructor at Destiny Travel Industry College and Ethiopia Adventist College, both also located in Ethiopia. He is an Ethiopian citizen with permanent residency in Canada.

New Paltz

Alumna, author urges graduates to embrace the 'next chapter' Author, attorney and advocate Regina Calcaterra ’88 (Political Science) encouraged graduates at the May 2016 Commencement to begin life’s next chapter with flexibility and enthusiasm. “I thought that I became an author after publishing my book, but I was wrong,” said, Calcaterra, whose New York Times best-selling memoir “Etched in Sand” addresses themes of resilience derived from her experiences in and out of foster care on Long Island, N.Y. “I was the author of my own story, and you, 2016 SUNY New Paltz graduates, are the authors of yours,” she said. “Know that the characters and plots will keep changing, and enjoy the drafting stage – it truly is the best part.” This year, 1,870 undergraduate and 522 graduate degrees were conferred, recognizing August and December 2015 graduates and May and August 2016 candidates. Margaret Hack ’15 (English), of New Windsor, N.Y., gave the valedictory.

(left, bottom) SUNY New Paltz students cheer during Commencement; (left, top) Regina Calcaterra '88 (Political Science) gives the commencement adress; (right, top) a post on the SUNY New Paltz Instagram site (www.instagram.com/sunynewpaltz) reads "Forever thankful for the opportunities here. Forever indebted to the people who I've met. Forever grateful for these past 4 years. Forever Orange and Blue. Forever New Paltz!!! #NPalumni #npsocial #sunynewpaltz #newpaltz #beautiful64."

Fall 2016

Seen&Heard

Akeem Samuels ’16 (Psychology) was the featured student for the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences throughout the 2015/2016 Admissions campaign, which spanned print, digital, social and video mediums. "I'm from Brooklyn, N.Y. I was born in Antigua-Barbuda, but I moved to Guyana when I was four years old and I came to the United States when I was 16. I came to SUNY New Paltz because I wanted to get a feel for being on my own to develop my independence . . . I'm really happy that I made that choice." See more of Akeem's story at www.newpaltz.edu/admissions.

First World welcomes new alumni The 42nd annual First World Graduation welcomed more than 100 new members of the SUNY New Paltz Class of 2016 into the First World New Paltz alumni society. This longstanding, alumni-and student-driven tradition celebrates the accomplishments of students of color at New Paltz. “This class has done great service for this community,” said Anthony Winn ’92 (Business Administration), president of the SUNY New Paltz Alumni Council.

New Paltz

For many in attendance, the most powerful moment was delivered by graduate Akeem Samuels ’16 (Psychology), who moved audience members to tears recounting his childhood journey to New Paltz from Guyana and the Caribbean. He acknowledged the support that allowed him to overcome barriers to academic success, and announced that this year he became a U.S. citizen. “I stand humbled and honored before all the people who’ve influenced me to become the person I am today,” said Samuels. “I can proudly say, ‘We did it.’”

Alumni awarded Fulbright Scholarships to teach abroad Three SUNY New Paltz alumni have been awarded Fulbright U.S. Student Program scholarships—the highest number awarded in a single academic year in the College’s history. Clare Profous ’15 (Spanish/ International Relations), Andrew Ugolino ’15 (Second Language Education), and Jeremy Acevedo ’15 (Sociology), have been recognized as Fulbright Finalists and will serve abroad as English Language Teaching Assistants. “The awards recognize their hard work and academic achievements,” said Center for International Programs Dean Bruce Sillner. “We are confident that they will be excellent ambassadors, not

only for SUNY New Paltz, but also for the United States.” The Fulbright U.S. Student Program provides grants for study and research projects or for English Teaching Assistant Programs, offering opportunities in over 140 countries to recent graduates and graduate students.

Clare Profous ’15

These honors add to the College’s strong record of helping students and alumni to access support for international study. New Paltz is a leader in the SUNY system in connecting students with opportunities including the Fulbright, the federally funded Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship and other valuable resources for travel abroad. Jeremy Acevedo ’15

School of Business names Alumnus of the Year Among the 2016 School of Business Hall of Fame inductees was Jason Dahl ’90 (Business Administration), who was named Alumnus of the Year. Dahl is a senior portfolio manager with NewBridge Asset Management, a Victory Capital Investment Franchise, and a member of the Large Cap Growth and Global Growth portfolio management

teams. Dahl earned his MBA from Pace University. The School of Business Hall of Fame was established in 2001 to recognize and acknowledge those who have made significant contributions to their respective business professions, while also having a significant positive impact on the educational activities of the Business School.

Kristen Backhaus, dean of the School of Business, presents the Alumnus of the Year award to Jason Dahl ’90 (Business Administration). Fall 2016

CLASS NOTES

Final exams, 1957

Alumni Events

DEC 6 Alumni Night at the Hawk

Center: Women's Basketball vs. Cortland (on campus)

JAN 13 NOV 3 Distinguished Speaker Series: Dr. Holly Atkinson (on campus)

NOV 12 Alumni Night at the

Theatre: "Oklahoma!" (on campus)

NOV 18 Global Orange and

Blue Day (worldwide) A day to show your New Paltz spirit

NOV 29 Giving Tuesday (worldwide)

New Paltz

Boca Raton, Fla. alumni event at the home of Bruce Orenstein ’68 and Sandra Orenstein ’67

JAN tbd Florida Alumni gatherings JAN 20 NYC Alumni Networking FEB 1 Alumni Night at the Hawk

Center: Men's Volleyball vs. Vassar (on campus)

MAR 20 Washington, D.C. alumni and student mixer

MAR tbd

Boston alumni event

MAR/APR Distinguished Speaker Series tbd APR 21-23 Alumni Days of Service (worldwide)

APR 22 Alumni Night at the

Theatre: "The Comedy of Errors" (on campus)

JUNE 9 40 Under Forty Alumni Award Ceremony

JUNE 12 19th Annual Doug Sheppard Classic Golf Tournament

These are selected events for alumni and friends. For a full listing visit

www.newpaltz.edu/alumni/events

had the State and Local Government course with Dr. Gerald Benjamin in the Spring of 1974. I wanted to relay my heartfelt congratulations to the professor on the fantastic honor with The Benjamin Center. —Marion L. Eskenasi ’76 (Sociology), (see pg. 30)

Robert J. Dever (Education) and his wife Dorothy (Kirch) Dever ’43 met on campus and are still going strong. They are blessed with five children, 13 grandchildren and 19 great grandchildren. The Dever's hosted their third annual family reunion this past July. Their grandson, Matthew, is a New Paltz student carrying on the tradition of his grandfather and great-uncle, who are proud New Paltz alumni.

Frances A. Sutherland (Art Studio) exhibited a selection of her paintings at The Storefront Gallery in Kingston’s Rondout District. Her most recent series titled “Looking Forward” was on display during November 2015.

Dr. Stann W. Reiziss (Behavioral Sciences) ’68g is a nationally board certified clinical hypnotherapist and cognitive-behavioral therapist with more than 45 years of experience. He holds a doctorate in educational and counseling psychology. His training is from The American Society of Clinical Hypnosis, The Ethical Hypnosis Training Institute, New York University, The State University of New York, The University of North Carolina, The University of Sarasota (presently Argosy University), The Charlotte Area Health Education Center (AHEC and affiliate of the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and Carolinas Medical Center), the National Institute For The Clinical Application Of Behavioral Medicine and the Israeli government. He has been the director of a counseling and hypnotherapy/information and referral practice since 1973. During his professional career he has appeared on countless radio and television shows, and his work has been featured in numerous magazine and newspaper articles, most recently in the February and March 2015 editions of Hawaiian Airlines Hana Hou Magazine.

Andrew M. Angstrom (Secondary Education 7-12 Biology) ’75g (Elementary Education) gave an illustrated lecture titled "Backyard Archeology" in Port Ewen, N.Y. Andrew grew up in Kingston and his love of

Dennis F. Wild (Biology) has published a book "The Double-Crested Cormorant: Symbol of Ecological Conflict." He contines to advocate for the preservation of the wild double-crested cormorants.

Robert (Randy) Coleman (Art History) retired as associate professor of art history after 34 years at the University of Notre Dame. Author of numerous articles and exhibition catalogs on Italian Renaissance and Baroque drawings, he will continue to serve as project director of the online inventory-catalogue of drawings in the Verneranda Biblioteca Ambrosiana, Milan: www.ambrosiana.eu. A forthcoming project is an exhibition and catalogue of Italian old master drawings for the Georgia Museum of Art, University of Georgia, Athens.

archeology was born while hunting for arrowheads with his father in fields along the Esopus Creek. In 2006, culminating a 39-year career, he retired as the director of the Ashokan Field Campus of SUNY New Paltz, now the Ashokan Center. He played a key role in the development of the internationally recognized Ashokan Outdoor Environmental Education Program. He has also served as a visiting assistant professor at SUNY New Paltz, teaching several different graduate-level courses. He is a founder and past president of the New York State Outdoor Education Association and currently consults as an outdoor environmental education specialist. Angstrom's book, "Quincy’s War," about his great-grandfather, John Quincy Adams (not the president), a Civil War bugler, was published in December.

Howard C. Buxbaum (Economics) was appointed an adjunct lecturer in the Baruch College master's program in higher education management. He is also the vice president for finance and administration at Bloomfield College in Bloomfield, N.J. He and his wife Paula have lived in Morristown, N.J., for the past 25 years.

Susan D. (Dutcher) Najork (Elementary Education Pre K-6 History) ’70g (Elementary Education) was named to the SUNY New Paltz Foundation Board in 2015. Now retired, she is an active Hudson Valley philanthropist. She has served as president of the board of Newburgh Day Nursery and as a member of the boards of St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital, St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital Auxiliary, Calvary Presbyterian Church, Powelton Club, Mount Saint Mary College, Hospice of Orange & Sullivan Counties, and the Community Foundation of Orange & Sullivan Counties. She has received several awards in recognition of her community involvement.

Constance L. Frazier (Art Education) retired as superintendent/assistant superintendent, associate superintendent, high school and elementary school principal, school board trustee and Nyack Board of Education member. She served as an administrative assistant at Teachers College Columbia University and was selected for “The Executive Educator 100” by Phi Delta Kappan. She taught art in Nanuet, Yonkers and Warwick public schools. She is CEO of “Sankofa Educational Consultant Services Inc.,” serving as a mentor for superintendents, assistant superintendents, K-12 principals in the Mid-Hudson and Northern New Jersey Public School Systems.

Mary M. (Horn) Kastner (Art Education) was a judge for the Village of New Paltz Historic Preservation Commission Art Show held in May at the Elting Memorial Library in New Paltz, its partner for the event. Forty-three twodimensional works that explore the theme of historic preservation and living life within a historic context were on display.

Robert M. Gabrielli (Anthropology) is a retired deputy inspector of frauds at the State Inspector General’s office and is co-owner of Reading Realty. Joanne M. (Sabarese) Greenway (French) earned a master's degree in French literature from Indiana University. Her planned career in academia segued into the social work field for the next 30 years. She has lived in Cincinnati, Ohio, since 1972. Now retired, she has written her first poetry book "Limited Engagement," which was published in March 2016 by Finishing Line Press, Georgetown, Ky.

Elyse S. (Desmond) Scott (Secondary Education) has written a second book “Awakening the Middle School Voice: Engineering the Language Arts to Excite Adolescents.” The book showcases lessons, projects, activities and suggested readings

Fall 2016

Bar Room Jazz, etching, aquatine, 29" x 41", by Stewart Mil Nachmais '80 (Printmaking) (see pg. 31)

useful to English Language Arts and content area teachers. Her first book “Secrets From the Middle: Making Who You Are Work For You” (2013) is full of insights and good advice about teaching in the middle school.

David W. Rappaport (Economics) had an exhibition of his charcoal pastels and watercolor paintings this past March and April 2016 at the Upstream Gallery in Hastings on the Hudson.

Candice Dixon (Elementary Education) wished classmates “Merry Christmas” from the continent of Antarctica, where she embarked on “the trip of a lifetime.” She wrote: “I had my New Paltz Pennant with me, check out the photo on the New Paltz Facebook page.” F. Paul Spadaro (Secondary Education, Earth Science/Geology) hosted members of the 1972 New Paltz track team for a mini track reunion at his home in Annapolis, Md. Fellow distance runner Larry Levitz attended along with sprinters Ed Mashmann and Jim Munz. Ed and Jim participated in the mile relay team that won the Queen Iona relays. It was captured on the front page of The Sunday

New Paltz

New York Times in an impressive track photo titled "On Wings of Victory," which put New Paltz track on the national scene. He writes: “We were a close team then and still are today.”

Kathryn N. Paulsen (Art Education) ’85g (Educational Administration) presented her first solo art exhibit, "Fold Everything!" at Catskill Community Center Gallery, Catskill, N.Y., from April to June 2016. After teaching art at public schools for 38 years, she retired and now has time to make her own art. She combines her interest in two cultural traditions – Japanese origami and American quilting – to create "Paper Quilts." Her work is described as "enchanting, unique, and shows great sensitivity,” according to Cornelia Seckel, editor of Art Times. Paulsen teaches origami to art teachers at conventions and workshops, most recently in April 2016 at SUNY New Paltz. Kevin C. Zraly (Elementary Education Pre K-6 Communication) author and educator of the “Windows on the World Complete Wine Course,” was featured on WABC’s “Live with Kelly and Michael,” in December 2015. Zraly took part in a segment on holiday value wines and

another blind tasting of champagne and sparkling wines with Kelly and Michael.

Philip M. Berkowitz (Journalism) has been named vice chair of the “Discrimination and Equality Law Committee” of the International Bar Association (IBA). A leading authority in labor and employment law globally, Berkowitz will serve in this role through December 2017. Charles Dumas (Political Science) visited SUNY New Paltz to share his personal journey from the front lines of civil rights marches in the 1960s to success on stage and screen as a director and actor. The event was sponsored by the Black Studies Department. Currently professor emeritus in the School of Theatre at Penn State University, Dumas was formerly director of the acting in media program at Temple University. He was a Fulbright Fellow at Stellenbosch University in South Africa and a senior professor at the University of the Free State, also in South Africa.

Marion L. Eskenasi (Sociology) writes: "I had the State and Local Government course with Dr. Gerald Benjamin in the Spring of 1974. I wanted to relay my heartfelt congratulations to

the professor on the fantastic honor with The Benjamin Center. It will be very useful to students in the years to come and perpetuate his legacy. You couldn't have chosen a better honoree. Lots and lots of good times ahead at the center, the school, and Dr. Benjamin's continued good health and tenure."

Kevin A. Cahill (Political Science) visited SUNY New Paltz campus with Carl Heastie, speaker of the New York State Assembly, for a tour and to discuss the success of student-focused initiatives that included the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP).

Joseph F. Ferguson (English) has published his newest book of short stories titled “Southbound.” He is an author, poet and journalist appearing in a variety of small press, regional, and national publications. He has written propaganda for a variety of entities for 25 years. He is a former editor and critic for Hudson Valley Magazine, ran the fiction workshop for the Poughkeepsie Library District, and regularly reviews books and videos for Climbing, The American Book Review, Kirkus Indie, and a number of other publications.

Rael J. Cantline (Communication Disorders) along with local artists Michele Riddell and Jane Lehman, exhibited their work, “The Peace of Matisse,” at the Unframed Artists Gallery in New Paltz last April. The work was part of the “Global Art Project for Peace” exhibition. Judith A. Hoyt (Printmaking) had her work displayed at the Wired Gallery in High Falls, N.Y. A collage artist, she works with found metal, paper, fabric and wood. Stewart Mil Nachmias (Printmaking) marked the 4th anniversary of his traveling art show titled “Pulp Icons: Cast Paper & Prints by Stewart Nachmias” in January. The show has been on a national tour of museums, universities, galleries and art centers since 2012. One stop on the tour was the Spiva Center for the Arts in Joplin, Mo. The show opened and ran through February 2016. It was a special expanded version of the show featuring an additional 19 pieces, including four new paper casts. The exhibition has been well received and a number of articles have been published about the work including a recent piece from The Joplin Globe. The Joplin article was written for local elementary school students who will get to see the show in a special collaborative project with the Spiva Center for the Arts. Visit:

www.stewartnachmias.com/STEW_ biblio.html for more information.

Izabella M. (Konopnicka) Trapani-Hare (Contract Major) is a children's book writer and illustrator. Her work was read at Next Year's Words, an event presented by Wallkill Valley Writers and supported by SUNY New Paltz Department of English.

Marlene Wiedenbaum (Humanistic Education) displayed her pastel paintings at the Mark Gruber Gallery, Newburgh Heritage Center, Spencertown Academy Arts Center, The Belvoir Gallery and hosted a pastel workshop at Locust Grove Estate. See Marlene's work and schedule at www.wiedenbaum.com.

Kevin J. Hurley (Visual Arts) released his second book "Le Tour Finale: A John Rexford Novel.” His books are available at all national retailers. Follow Kevin at his website www.silkreel.com.

Robert M. Culhane (Business Administration) has joined Metro-North Railroad as director of operating budgets and controls, responsible for the finances and control management of the operations division, which transports 85 million travelers annually out of Grand Central Terminal, in the heart of New York City. Michael Dubois (Visual Arts, Sociology) designed the cover and created drawings that appear inside the book “Back from the Dead,” a memoir of NBA star Bill Walton. Alternate covers for the book

“M

y favorite part of my job is witnessing my study abroad students going through the various phases of acculturation in Cuba." —Michelle L. Ranieri '11 (Anthropology), (see pg. 33)

Deirdre Elle Donohue (Art History) has been appointed as Stephanie Shuman director of library, archives and museum collections at the International Center of Photography (ICP). She has been in the field of libraries, archives and museum collections for 31 years, starting at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1985. She is on the faculty of both Pratt Institute’s School of Information and the ICP-Bard MFA Program, and is on the Board of 10X10 Photobooks. Awards include ARLIS/NA Andrew Cahan Travel Award and an ICP Spotlights Focus Award. Nicholas F. Groudas (Graphic Design) has been teaching art for the past 23 years and is currently teaching sculpture and 3-D design at Brentwood High School on Long Island. He has been married to his wife Nancy, also a teacher, since 1997. In the past four years, he has been working three dimensionally with welded steel. He writes: “Nancy and I pick out old steel from farms and scrap yards then incorporate these found objects into our evolving collection of unique furniture, sculpture, lighting, and assemblage. Our works are in art galleries on the east end of Long Island but we are always looking for new venues in which to show.” Their work can be seen online at www.groudasart.com.

that DuBois designed, but were not used by publisher Simon & Schuster, are also featured inside. Nadine M. Robbins (Graphic Design) had her work featured in the opener for the Art Basel festival in Miami Beach, Fla. This highly anticipated exhibit held at Sirona Fine Art in Hallandale Beach opened in December 2015.

Arnold A. Schmidt (English) ’90g (English) is a professor of English at California State University/ Stanislaus, and received a 2015 Andrew W. Mellon Fellowship at San Marino's Huntington Library. The funding supports two months of research about NineteenthCentury British drama for a three-volume, 24-play anthology coming from Pickering & Chatto/Routledge in 2017.

Susan D. Miller (Painting) displayed her work titled “Being There” at the Erpf Gallery and featured her plein air paintings. Her work is included in the permanent collections of The Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art, the Houston Museum of Fine Arts, the University of North Texas, the Arts and Science Center of Pine Bluff, Ark. and the Centex Corporation. Her work has been highly praised in the national press and she has received awards from

Fall 2016

Charles J. Larocca (Educational Administration) gave a talk and held a book signing in Goshen, N.Y. The talk was titled "Stephen Crane, the Red Badge, and the Orange Blossoms." Stephen Crane, who had no military experience himself, used the local Civil War regiment and the 124th New York State volunteers, as a basis for his classic novel, "The Red Badge of Courage."

William H. Richmond (Political Science) was promoted to vice president at Behan Communications, a public affairs firm in upstate New York. He has been with the firm for 18 years. The firm specializes in crisis communications, government relations and marketing for Fortune 500 firms, non-profits, and mid-size companies.

Kevin R. Bryant (Political Science) has been appointed to the corporation counsel in Kingston, N.Y. Previously he served as a special prosecutor for many local municipalities in Ulster County, as an assistant public defender in the Office of the Public Defender, and as a private practice attorney. In 2015, he was appointed to the Committee on Professional Standards of the State of New York Supreme Court Appellate Division.

blue eggs, Painting, 24" H x 18 W" x 1.5 in, by Joseph Laurro '93 (Painting) (see this page)

numerous institutions, including Orange Arts Grant, NYFA, SUNY New Paltz, the Susquehanna Art Museum, SOHO Gallery, Women & Their Work, and the Fourth Biennial Arkansas Exhibition. She has served as Artist-in-Residence at the Weir Farm Trust, the Vermont Studio Center and the Catskill Center’s Platte Clove. She has taught drawing, painting, art criticism and the creative process at SUNY New Paltz since 1999.

Joseph D. Davidson (Political Science) was the keynote speaker at the SUNY New Paltz Veterans Day Dining-In event, which honored the armed forces. The event was hosted by the New Paltz Office of Veteran & Military Services and the Office of Student Accounts.

New Paltz

Kevin D. Hogan (Political Science) is currently the director of speaker’s correspondence for the New York State Assembly. He has written an article on fringe presidential candidates, which was published in The Atlantic and he is also writing a book on the same subject. Dina M. Lapolt (Music) is one of the top music attorneys in America. This year she was named to both the Hollywood Reporter's Power Lawyers Top Music Business Attorneys and Billboard's Top Music Lawyers. She represents several high-profile clients and is very active in the copyright reform discussion in Washington, D.C., that will shape the future of the music business.

Geoffrey R. Detrani's (Philosophy) ’96g (MFA Painting-Drawing) work was featured in a solo exhibition of paintings and drawings titled "Fictive Landscapes," at K. Imperial Fine Art San Francisco, Calif., in April 2016. This is his first solo exhibition with the gallery. He previously showed work with K. Imperial Fine Art at New York's Art on Paper fair in March 2016. In February a solo exhibition of his work, titled, "Which Nature," was held at the Mark Potter gallery of the Taft School in Watertown, Conn. where he was a visiting artist in residence. To view his work visit: www.geoffreydetrani.com. Alicia L. Hyndman (Communication Media, Black Studies) was elected in November 2015 as New York State Assemblywoman for District 29 in Queens and was inaugurated on January 10, 2016 to a two-year term. Joseph J. Laurro (Painting) had work selected for the competitive Curate NYC and exhibited at Local Project NYC. The work was chosen by guest curator: Rachael Thomas, Senior Curator/Head of Exhibitions Irish Museum of Modern Art (Dublin). He was interviewed in Brooklyn, N.Y., at BRIC Arts about living and working as an artist. Chief curator, Rebecca Wilson featured his works on

Saatchi Art. His work can be seen on his website at www.saatchiart.com/josephlaurro. Laurro is anticipating an exhibit sometime this year at the Mercer Gallery in Rochester, N.Y. He continues to dance for the joy of it and keeps the energy moving at the Afro-Caribbean Dance class with Pat Hall at Mark Morris Dance Group Center in Brooklyn. He also has been involved with work in Haiti for many years. Lastly, he has been a teaching-artist for elementary after-school and summer enrichment programs.

FACES OF NEW PALTZ

Lori A. Beer (Secondary Education 7-12 Mathematics, Physics) was the keynote speaker at the scholarship reception at SUNY New Paltz. Her gift created the School of Education Diversity Scholarship that has helped 12 students since 2006. Matthew J. Corozine (Theatre Arts) is celebrating 16 years of creating Matthew Corozine Studio Theatre (MCS). MCS, recently expanded into a 50-seat theatre on W. 36th Street in New York City. Matthew, with studio staff, teaches acting classes rooted in the Meisner Technique and produces original and published work with his actors. MCS actors are currently represented on Broadway in film and TV. Please visit www.matthewcorozinestudio.com for more information. Luana Y. Ferreira (Spanish) has been named a 2015-17 Empire State Fellow. The fellowship program selects 10 professionals to train with top state government officials for careers as future policymakers. Luana will be placed with the New York Department of State for her fellowships tenure. Over the course of her career, Luana has been committed to education. She is a former New York City Teaching Fellow and received her M.S. Ed. from City College, CUNY. While a student at the CUNY Graduate Center, she worked as a research assistant to develop diagnostic tools for measuring proficiencies of immigrant students in urban settings at the Research Institute for the Study of Language in Urban Society (RISLUS).

Radames Carlo (Psychology) is employed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as a vocational rehabilitation specialist helping military service men and women with serious mental illness find gainful employment. He was named by the Hispanic Coalition of New York as one of their "40 under 40 Rising Latino Stars." Dr. Carlo also serves on the Executive Committee for the 65th Infantry Honor Task Force (The Borinqueneers), who were honored by President Obama with the Congressional Gold Medal in 2015. Shellie T. (Hanifin) Pomeroy (Graphic Design) is owner of Silk & Willow, a silk-dyeing business in the heart of New Paltz. Her husband Jay manages the business end and dayto-day operations assisting in prepping the materials Shellie uses in her dye. In just the last couple of years, her work has become synonymous with some of the most influential fashion and wedding blogs of today. She has mastered the art of turning the simplest bouquet or gift wrap into beautiful heirloom treasures.

Sherry L. Saturno (English) has won the 2016 Media Award Best Documentary Film via the National Association of Social Workers, a national award, for her short documentary film "Human Investment." The film explores through a series of compelling interviews

Professor brings digital humanities to New Paltz ANNIE SWAFFORD

Position: Assistant Professor, English Department Education: Ph.D. (2014), M.A. (2011), English, University of Virginia; B.A. (2006), Music/English, Wellesley College Faculty member since: August 2014

What do you like about teaching at New Paltz? New Paltz really values interdisciplinary work. So much of my work is interdisciplinary, looking at the connections between Victorian poetry and music, and the use of digital technologies to facilitate that work. This is a good place for that sort of approach. With the disaster studies program and all sorts of majors, this is really a place that can be my interdisciplinary home.

Tell me about the digital humanities course you created.

It’s called “Digital Tools for the 21st Century: Sherlock Holmes’ London.” It’s an interdisciplinary 19th century studies class that teaches people about digital humanities, or using computers for research and pedagogical purposes in the humanities. It’s such a broad definition because it encompasses so many different methodologies and tools. One is mapping, or GIS (geographic information systems). I haven’t done a lot of work with mapping in my own research, but I think it’s an incredibly useful tool and I’m excited to teach it to both students and faculty. Geography Professor Melissa Rock and I were able to secure funding from the Provost’s Office to open the DASH (Digital Arts, Sciences, and Humanities) Lab, a space for learning digital scholarship located in the library. We already have a list of about 20 faculty members who want to come and learn how to make digital maps and have their students make them, too.

Fall 2016

FACES OF NEW PALTZ

what motivates professionals to dedicate themselves to the humanity of care, including working with the elderly and the sick. Catyana R. (Erwin) Skory Falsetti (History) finished her first murder mystery novel, “Facing Death.” The work is based on her own experiences. She has self-published through Amazon, Kobo, Tolino and Page Foundry.

Heather M. Graham (Black Studies) currently the digital director at The Daily Gazette, was a featured panelist at the Women’s Leadership Summit at SUNY New Paltz.

Study Abroad, living-learning community enrich student's life DAVE SYFRAIN ’17 (French/ Business)

Hometown: Brooklyn, N.Y. Clubs/Organizations: Business Association Students of Color; International Student Union; French Club Scholarships: EOP Travel Grant; SUNY Diversity Abroad Honors Scholarship; Global Kids Scholarships

Why was it important for you to study abroad in Besançon, France, in spring 2016?

Studying abroad is one of the most interesting experiences one can have. You can discover things about yourself, develop your leadership, develop orientation skills, and more. The program I completed in France was unique because it was composed of eight weeks of classes and eight-and-ahalf weeks of internships.

What/who has been your favorite course and/or professor at New Paltz?

I’ve had many wonderful teachers, but surprisingly, my favorite class and professor – “Intro to Acting” with Lauren Bone Noble – is not part of my business major.

Suzanne E. Gray (Sociology) is principal at Old Bethpage Elementary School in Plainview, Old Bethpage Central School District. She has been selected as the 2016 New York State Elementary Principal of the Year by the School Administration Association of New York State (SAANYS) and the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP). Katherine L. Merry (English) displayed an exhibit titled "In Celebration of Jane Austen" at the Newburgh Library Gallery in January 2016. The exhibition began when a Jane Austen fan account on Instagram asked followers to submit

Tila L. Abbitt (Sculpture) is senior director of product development for Collaborations and Accessories at Sephora in San Francisco. She also gave birth to second child, Auden Kit Abbitt-Buckingham, born Jan. 19, 2016. Nisha Bansil (Printmaking) and Lisa Engel will exhibit their work “Charcoal & Glass” at MURAL on Main in Hobart. Nisha has completed various residencies and assistantships in the field of glass. Her work is an exploration of pattern, form and structure. She writes: “Like the tessellated patterns found in Islamic architecture, my work strives to meld natural phenomena with geometric form.” Gable A. Erenzo (Management) opened GLM Farm Bar & Mercantile bringing unique eating, drinking and retail to Gardiner, N.Y. One arm of the enterprise is a nano-distillery that Erenzo has set up at Dressel Farms in New Paltz, where he is distilling small batches of spirits in his “old-school” 50-gallon copper still. The other arm of Gardiner Liquid Mercantile (GLM) is the opening of a branch office, so to speak, of the new distillery; an eating and drinking establishment on Main Street in Gardiner that will include a retail shop on site.

“L

ike the tessellated patterns found in Islamic architecture, my work strives to meld natural phenomena with geometric form."

—Nisha Bansil '02 (Printmaking) (this page)

pictures pertaining to Austen or literature in general. With the help of her sister and friends—all theater students with costumes always close by—Merry held a very informal photo shoot on the grounds of Vanderbilt Mansion in Hyde Park, N.Y. in June 2014. She has been interested in photography since age 10 when she attended a “Pictures with your Polaroid!” program at her local library. Since then, libraries, books and photography have been themes she has turned to again and again. Follow Merry's photo account camera4one on Instagram.

Thomas W. Cale (Visual Arts) recently opened a studio space in Rhinebeck, N.Y. called Cale Artworks. He has been doing design, illustration and painting for over 20 years.

Gordon L. Tepper (Communication Media) married Anne McLoughlin on Dec. 27, 2015 in Rockville Centre, N.Y. The couple currently resides in Long Beach, Long Island.

Carrie A. Allmendinger (English) is the archivist librarian at Historic Huguenot Street. Zachary N. Skinner (Painting) had his sculpture “Sun Reflector” chosen in the Dave Bown Projects 11th Semiannual Competition (Curators: Katherine Pill, Ron Platt, Kelly Shindler) Award of Excellence. His work was noted by Ron Platt, chief curator, Grand Rapids Art Museum, who stated: “My favorite work among the submissions is the sculpture, Sun Reflector by Zac Skinner. I love Sun —continued on p.36—

New Paltz

Scholarship News

McKenna Productions establishes new endowed scholarship funds to benefit Theatre Arts students at SUNY New Paltz

hanks to a generous $237,000 contribution from McKenna Productions, six endowed scholarship funds have been established in honor of six extraordinary and beloved theatre professors at SUNY New Paltz. “These gifts, which are a direct result of continued community support and past ticket sales, will be a valuable asset to students and their future endeavors,” said Joseph C. Paparone, professor emeritus and a 43-year veteran of the SUNY New Paltz Department of Theatre Arts. “These funds help recognize the many hardworking students and their admirable devotion to theatre arts.”

to defray some of the student cost (registration, travel, room and board) of attendance and is named in honor of alumnus Raymond T. Kurdt ’56 (Art Education).

New endowed scholarships The Professor Vera Irwin Endowed Scholarship Fund will provide two scholarships to incoming students including: an accepted incoming freshman seeking the concentration in Theatre Performance, whose audition showed potential and whose interview showed determination, and an accepted incoming freshman seeking the concentration in Theatre Design and Technology, whose portfolio showed potential and whose interview showed determination.

The Joseph C. Paparone Endowed Student Travel Scholarship Fund was established to support theatre student attendance at performance festivals such as The Humana Festival in Louisville, Kentucky, the KCACTF (Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival), or other theatre festivals that focus on performance.

The Professor Raymond T. Kurdt Endowed Student Travel Scholarship Fund will support theatre student attendance at design and technology conferences such as the United States Institute of Theatre Technology (USITT) annual national conference, or other theatre conferences that focus on design and technology. This Fund will help

The Professor Frank Kraat Endowed Student Travel Scholarship Fund will support annual non-renewable scholarships to theatre students attending the London Theatre Seminar, an annual three-credit course, established by Professor Emeritus Frank Kraat. This scholarship will help to defray some of the student cost (tuition, travel, room and board) of attendance.

The Dr. Beverly M. Brumm Endowed Scholarship Fund will support an annual non-renewable scholarship to a SUNY New Paltz Theatre Arts major with a concentration in Theatre Performance entering his or her senior year. The Professor Dan E. Swartz Endowed Scholarship Fund will support an annual non-renewable scholarship to two SUNY New Paltz Theatre Arts majors with a concentration in Theatre Design and Technology entering their senior year.

If you would like to make a gift to support one of McKenna Productions six endowed scholarship funds you can do so online. Gifts may also be sent to the SUNY New Paltz Foundation at 1 Hawk Drive, New Paltz, NY 12561. Please indicate the name of the endowment on your gift. ABOUT MCKENNA PRODUCTIONS, LTD McKenna Productions has been supporting the students of the Department of Theatre Arts of SUNY at New Paltz for the last 43 years. From 1973 to 2004 they produced all of the major departmental theatrical productions and profits from these productions have been used as scholarships for theatre students. In 2004 McKenna Productions stopped producing at the College but continued to award scholarships to the theatre department’s students and expanded its support to include alumni projects. It has been estimated that McKenna Productions, Ltd. has awarded nearly $1 million in scholarships and grants to the students and alumni of the Department of Theatre Arts.

To learn more about the SUNY New Paltz Theatre department, and to see what productions will be presented in the 2016/2017 season, go to www.newpaltz.edu/theatre/ productions.html

Fall 2016

Reflector because it embodies intelligence, ingenuity, absurdity, and a tough spirit. There is something poignant about our ongoing attempts to control universal elements, despite the futility of the exercise. Sun Reflector acknowledges this dynamic yet demonstrates the vitality of creative energy.”

The Last by Breanna Metcalf-Oshinsky I imagine this is the last part Because I do not know what I have Left to forget. There are no more echoes of your voice on busy streets; No dust you last disturbed. Everything of you has been moved And I have been carried in the current. I do not know that I am the woman You wished of me If my kindness or compassion Brushes your watermark In the peaks of its waves. My face is half stranger And I fear I am losing myself In the distance between us That I am trying so desperately To measure in sun amongst rain In the things I can touch without feeling As I imagine you do If you are more than what I have forgotten. "The Last," a spoken-word poem by Breanna Bell MetcalfOshinsky '14 (English, Journalism), was presented at the "Poetry at 1600 Feet" festival in April in Hunter, N.Y. —see p. 37

New Paltz

Claudette S. (Reyes) Aldebot (Spanish) ’08g (Humanistic Multicultural Education) is a program manager with Latino U College Access in White Plains, N.Y. She was a panelist at the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences panel discussion at SUNY New Paltz.

Tracy B. Soren (Journalism) is working as a comedian and content creator full time and was recently named one of “NYC top Up-AndComing Comedians.” She hopes to bring great pride to the New Paltz name with her work and creativity.

Lauren A. (McTague) Andrukiewicz (Journalism) married Kyle Andrukiewicz, who graduated from Quinnipiac University in 2008, on June 20, 2015, in Essex, Conn. Her bridal party included fellow New Paltz classmates Caitlin Nalven ’09 and Carly Nalven ’09. The bride is a TV producer and the groom is a comic book editor for Valiant Entertainment. The couple resides in New York City with their siamese cat, Gus. Rachael A. Carmen (Psychology) ’13g (Psychology) presented at the inaugural Evolutionary Psychology Independent Conference (EPIC) at SUNY New Paltz, in December 2015. Jennifer M. Gutman (English) ’11g (English) was recently promoted to senior grant writer at Choice Words LLC, a New Paltz-based grant writing and public relations company.

Benjamin Sage Crosier (Psychology) presented at the inaugural Evolutionary Psychology Independent Conference (EPIC) at SUNY New Paltz in December 2015. He earned his Ph.D. and currently works at Dartmouth College.

Haley Moss Dillon (Psychology) presented at the inaugural Evolutionary Psychology Independent Conference (EPIC) at SUNY New Paltz in December 2015. Michelle L. Ranieri (Anthropology) is living her dream, working in the warm

Caribbean air as the Cuba Resident Director for the Institute for Study Abroad. Her work in Havana includes helping students to adjust to their own study abroad experience. She writes: “My favorite part of my job is witnessing my study abroad students going through the various phases of acculturation in Cuba. It's a fascinating place to live, study and explore. I almost get to relive my study abroad experience through teaching my students about life in Havana.”

Submit your Class Notes today! Enjoy reading about what your classmates have been up to? They want to hear about you, too! Let fellow alumni know about your latest life changes, professional accomplishments, interests, or anecdotes.

Joseph J. Salamone (School Leadership) along with his wife Renee are owners of the Phillies Bridge Coffee Company based in the Gardiner/New Paltz area, specializing in single-origin coffees. In addition, Joe and his wife are both educators. Renee is a French language teacher and Joe is an assistant principal in the Washingtonville School District.

Mail: Class Notes Office of Development and Alumni Relations 1 Hawk Drive New Paltz, NY 12561-2443

Laura L. Johnsen (Theatre Arts, Psychology) presented at the inaugural Evolutionary Psychology Independent Conference (EPIC) at SUNY New Paltz in December 2015.

E-Mail: alumni@newpaltz.edu Fax: 845.257.3951

Amy Cote (Painting-Drawing) and Matthew Zappala exhibited their work “Imagination in Flight: Paintings” that opened in the gallery at Unison Arts Center, New Paltz, N.Y. in April 2016. The exhibit featured the vibrant, expressionist paintings of Zappala’s crows and Cote’s imaginative animals in a unique pairing of these two artists. Zappala and Cote have both exhibited their works extensively throughout the Hudson Valley and surrounding areas. They bring their works together to enliven and energize gallery space with the perceived movement of animals large and small, real and imagined. Cote lives in Hurley, N.Y. and works in her Kingston studio at The Shirt Factory. Zappala lives and works in Saugerties, N.Y. Amanda E. Guitar (Psychology) presented at the inaugural Evolutionary Psychology Independent Conference (EPIC) at SUNY New Paltz in December 2015. Nakia D. Parker (History) presented a lecture on campus in the newly re-opened Sojourner Truth Library in April 2016. The lecture was on the migration patterns of enslaved and emancipated people of African and Black Indian descent during the mid-19th century.

Submit online at: www.newpaltz.edu/magazine Notes submitted online are viewable immediately and remain posted for up to three months, as well as being included in the next edition of New Paltz Magazine, so submit today.

Morgan E. Gleason (Psychology) presented at the inaugural Evolutionary Psychology Independent Conference (EPIC) at SUNY New Paltz in December 2015. Breanna Bell Metcalf-Oshinsky (English, Journalism), a performing poet based in New York City, attended the second annual “Poetry At 1600 Feet.” The twoday festival is an incarnation of favorite spoken word series and held at the Catskill Mountain Foundation's Doctorow Center for the Arts in Hunter, N.Y. She is cocurator of the series. She returned to the stage to launch her first chapter book and eBook "The Lost Woman."

a staff member under the NY RISING Small Business Recovery Program at their Manhattan office. She is currently providing grant funding to small businesses in New York State affected by Superstorm Sandy, Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee, including some in New Paltz and Ulster County.

Arber Cobaj (Philosophy) currently director of program development at Skytop Strategies, contributed his perspective, drawn from experience as a key member of a Hudson Valley start-up, during a College of Liberal Arts & Sciences panel discussion at SUNY New Paltz.

Alaina Walag (Geology) works for the New York State's Governor's Office as

Fall 2016

inMemoriam “To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause." — William Shakespeare 1564–1616, excerpt from Macbeth (1606)

1920 - 1929 Alvina (Lamay) Feitt ’29 1930-1939 Norma Bikowsky ’31 Nancy Daubert ’32 Matilda Birmingham ’33 Claudine (Tillotson) Burke ’33 Virginia (Walker) Zimmerman ’36 Alma (Knack) Denman ’37 Ruth (Hubbert) Dylewski ’37 Betty (Donahue) Moran ’37 Gertrude Carroll ’39 Eva Duffy ’39 Evelyn Stone ’39 1940-1949 Doris (MacMurtrie) Beatty ’42 Marion (Schwenk) Hyatt ’42 Eileen (Usifer) Steffanci ’43 Olive Berner ’44 Ester (Holt) Lee ’44 Doris (Pine) Schoonmaker ’44 Mildred (Berka) VanSicklen ’45 Irene (Brenish) D'Alba ’48 Ruth Perrich ’48 Kathleen Fanning ’49 1950-1959 Janet( Noll) Smalley ’50 Elizabeth (Logan) Piucci ’51 Mary Long ’52 Margaret (Taylor) Roumelis ’52 Laura (Roberts) Siff ’52 Doris (Mills) Stoddard ’56 Robert Corcoran ’57 ’67 ’82g Mary Moran ’57 Margaret (Cacioppo) Squicciarini ’58 Alice Church ’59

New Paltz

1960-1969 Jane (Holcomb) Babcock ’60 Carolyn Kuhlmann ’61g Toby (Gavron) Parisse ’61 Mildred Raynor ’62 John Bodor ’63 Matt Dubiner ’63 Anita Weinblatt ’63 Samuel Weitzman ’63 Sheila (Zacharek) Evans ’64 Frances (Astor) Tohill ’64 Anthony Acito ’65 Charles Breslau ’65 Anthony Grabowski ’65 Kathleen (Mason) Sheehan ’65 Vincent Triola ’65 Herman Wilcox ’65 Margaret (Tashiro) Caccamo ’66 S. Warren Hurley ’66 Arthur Lattimer ’66 Martin Maslinoff ’66 John Rhoads ’66 ’72g Mildred Rogers ’66 Joseph Siepietoski ’66 Ingrid Sternberg ’66 James Benson ’67 Peter Hahn ’67 Josephus Long ’67 Raymond McCaffrey ’67 Phyllis Rose ’67 Irma Toplansky ’67 Lila Hillman ’68 Dieter Rennhack ’68 Allen Werbalowsky ’68 Franklin Fremont ’69 Richard Hoch ’69 1970-1979 Daniel Harris ’70 Barbara (Lewin) Spector ’70 Theresa (Drozd) Stanion ’71 Gordon Wahlberg ’71g Donald Daddario ’72 Beverly (Glickman) Orth ’73 Elinor Walsh ’73 Essie Mae (Brooks) Ford ’75 Donna (Gillis) Goldblatt ’79 Edmund Kohlberg ’79 Eleanor (Caspersen) Snow ’79

1980-1989 Emily Phillips ’80 Brant Matises ’81 Patricia (Holland) Koyon ’82g Kathryn (Cornell) Stearns ’83 Michael Dibitetto ’84 Becky Watford-Vargo ’84 John Steffanci ’85 Jeffrey Fingerman ’86 Johanna Lurie ’86 Hoover Mountcastle ’88 Jacqueline Pritchard ’89 1990-1999 Patricia (Iacomini) Craig ’91 Gail Vorbach ’91 Gerald Dilger ’92 Carolyn Bagley ’95 Steven Schoonmaker ’97 Hobart Simpson ’97 James Kranick ’98 2000-2016 Wesley Loveday ’00 Rena Reinhardt-Genther ’00 Jonathan Martin-Crawford ’07 Kenneth Poland ’07 Lili Schad ’11 Jeffrey White ’15 Faculty & Staff Dr. Barry Bort Prof. M. Celia Coulter Dr. Pierre Francois Dr. Albert H. Gawer Mr. Steve Petvai Prof. Susan Wisherd

inMemoriam Heinz Meng, beloved Emeritus Professor of biology, dies

College mourns death of President Emeritus Dr. John J. Neumaier SUNY New Paltz President Emeritus Dr. John J. Neumaier, who led the College from 1968-1972, passed away on May 30, 2016. He was 94. Neumaier was born and raised in Germany and witnessed the growth of fascism under Adolph Hitler. In early 1939, he escaped Germany, and by 1941 he had settled in Minneapolis, Minn., with his father, where he worked as a machinist at a manufacturing plant. His mother died in a Nazi concentration camp in Poland. He later enlisted in the U.S. military during World War II and guarded German prisoners in Nebraska.

Emeritus professor of biology Heinz Meng, 92, passed away on Aug. 13. Meng was a beloved New Paltz faculty member from his appointment in 1951 until his retirement in 2001 and is perhaps best known in the conservation community as the person credited with the recovery of the peregrine falcon in the eastern U.S. In 1967, Meng became the first to succeed in breeding the peregrine falcon in captivity, at a time when populations had been decimated by widespread Meng shared his use of pesticides like preternatural touch and DDT. His methods were replicated as the basis of love of birds with many a bird-release program generations of New that has restored the falcon’s population levels Paltz students. to the point that it was officially removed from the Endangered Species List in 1999. In 1998, the National Audubon Society named him one of 100 champions of conservation during the 20th century. Meng shared his preternatural touch and love of birds with many generations of New Paltz students. He began flying falcons on campus in 1974, a tradition he continued until his retirement, creating countless hands-on opportunities for students to work with birds of prey in natural settings. Heinz Meng was born in Germany in 1924 and emigrated to the U.S. with his family in 1929. He earned his Ph.D in ornithology at Cornell before his appointment at New Paltz. Birds were flown in tribute at a memorial held on campus in his honor Sept. 25, 2016. The event was attended by falconers, including Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

Neumaier married his first wife, Virginia, in 1944, and following the war enrolled at the University of Minnesota where he studied philosophy and earned his Enrollment increases were Ph.D. in 1953. Neumaier became a philosophy accompanied by pioneering instructor at Hibbing initiatives to provide greater Junior College in Northern Minnesota, and was later educational opportunities appointed dean. He has for African-Americans and been credited with defining the role of junior colleges other minorities during – later community colleges Neumaier's presidency. – in Minnesota. From 1958-68, Neumaier was president of Minnesota State University Moorhead, a teacher education-focused school with fewer than 1,000 students that grew to a liberal arts college with more than 5,000 students during his leadership. Neumaier left Moorhead to become president at New Paltz, where he helped complete its transformation from a teacher’s college into a center for liberal arts and graduate studies. Enrollment increases were accompanied by pioneering initiatives to provide greater educational opportunities for African-Americans and other minorities. He oversaw the expansion of international education through the establishment of more than a dozen centers of overseas learning. He also helped create a more collegial and democratic campus atmosphere through governance procedures that emphasized faculty and student participation. In 1972 Neumaier left the presidency to take a position as professor of social philosophy at SUNY Empire State College. He was married for 45 years to his second wife, the late Sally Fletcher Luther, a respected former Minnesota state legislator. They lived in Mount Dora, Fla., and Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and remained active supporters of the College and generously supported a scholarship in memory of Neumaier’s mother.

Fall 2016

inMemoriam continued Inaugural Ottaway Professor Sydney Schanberg dies New Paltz joined the international journalism community in mourning former New York Times correspondent Sydney Schanberg, following his death in July at 82. Schanberg was a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and New Paltz resident. He is perhaps best known for his coverage of Cambodia’s fall to the Khmer Rouge in 1975, which was the inspiration for the 1984 film “The Killing Fields.” Schanberg also played an important role in the history of journalism instruction at SUNY New Paltz. In 2001 he became the College’s first James H. Ottaway Sr. Visiting Professor of Journalism, following its endowment by James H. Ottaway Jr. and his wife Mary Ottaway. As the first Ottaway Visiting Professor, Schanberg helped establish an annual tradition that has provided incredible

Schanberg helped establish an annual tradition that has provided incredible opportunities for aspiring journalists at New Paltz to meet and study with 15 established luminaries in the ﬁeld.

STAY IN THE MOUNTAIN HOUSE

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We can’t improve on your memories of Scudder or Deyo or Bliss, but we can offer some comforts of our own for your next visit to New Paltz. Just minutes away from campus in a spectacular 1,200-acre setting, Mohonk Mountain House is one of America’s leading resorts. Our rates include meals and most activities. Be sure to mention you’re a New Paltz alum when you stay with us so we can contribute in your name.

New Paltz, NY 12561 866.505.6326 www.mohonk.com

Bradley Walker Tomlin: A Retrospective

August 31—December 11, 2016 Morgan Anderson Gallery

opportunities for aspiring journalists at New Paltz to meet and study with 15 established luminaries in the field. Now under the direction of Lisa Phillips, associate professor of journalism, the Ottaway remains the College’s only endowed professorship. “Syd Schanberg was a special person,” said Robert Miraldi, professor emeritus of journalism and former director of the Ottaway Visiting Professorship. “He inspired a generation of journalists with his fierce independence, his quiet courage and his commitment to social justice.”

WWW.NEWPALTZ.EDU/MUSEUM THE

DORSKY SAMUEL DORSKY MUSEUM OF ART

STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT NEW PALTZ

New Paltz

PLANNED GIVING Dr. Gerald J. Robbins ’78 (Chemistry) had a long and successful career made possible by the love and support of his wife, Marie Colette Robbins. At New Paltz, Robbins discovered an excellent way of combining his love of chemistry with his love of helping people—a career in medicine. He later received his M.D. from the Medical College of Virginia at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va., and completed his fellowships in Internal Medicine and also Hematology/Oncology at the University of Connecticut John Dempsey Hospital in Farmington, Conn. During his 35-year career as a medical doctor, Robbins also served as president of the Florida Society of Clinical Oncology (FLASCO) from 2009 to 2011 where he spearheaded a patient advocacy program that is still in action today. Prior to his death in 2015, Robbins established a scholarship fund in the family name to beneﬁt future students, the Dr. Gerald J. & Marie C. Robbins Scholarship Fund. This deferred gift matures after the donors' lifetimes and will provide much-needed support to future New Paltz students.

Liberty Mutual is is a aproud Liberty Mutual proud partner partner ofof SUNY New Paltz. SUNY New Paltz. For additional information about Liberty Mutual and our car

erty Mutual and is For a proud partner of us at 1-800-524-9400 home insurance, please contact additional information about or visit us at libertymutual.com/newpaltzalumni. Liberty SUNY New Paltz.Mutual and our car and home insurance, please contact us

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OFFICE OF DEVELOPMENT & ALUMNI RELATIONS State University of New York at New Paltz 1 Hawk Drive New Paltz, N.Y. 12561-2443 www.newpaltz.edu/alumni

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS Do you know a New Paltz graduate who, with passion and dedication, is a leader in their profession, creates positive change in their community, or re-imagines their world in an inspiring way? Nominate them for SUNY NEW PALTZ 40 UNDER FORTY. For information about the event, eligibilty, criteria, and nominating, go to: www.newpaltz.edu/40underforty.

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